NEW GSMA REPORT FINDS THE INTERNET OF THINGS IS TRANSFORMING FAMILY LIFE

March 2, 2015

Press Release

Cost Savings, Peace of Mind and Security Are Key Factors Driving Growth of Wireless Connected Devices; 89 Per Cent of People Want to Connect All Their Devices in The Future

Barcelona:The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming family life through the wireless connection of devices in the home, such as smart meters and security systems, helping to save money and increase peace of mind, according to new research issued today by the GSMA. The report, ‘The Impact of the Internet of Things: The Connected Home’, was developed by KRC Research* and GSMA Intelligence, and highlights that approximately one in four people in Germany, Japan, the UK and the US already own a connected device such as a smart meter (28 per cent), security system (23 per cent), lighting system (23 per cent), or health monitor (23 per cent), underscoring the growing impact of wireless connectivity and the Internet of Things on the lives of consumers.

The research also indicates that the uptake of connected devices is set to grow rapidly over the coming years, with 89 per cent of all respondents confirming that they would like all of their household devices to be seamlessly connected together in the future. According to the report, consumers have a strong interest in connecting virtually everything in their homes including security systems, thermostats, smart meters, lighting and cars, as well as health monitors, washing machines, smart watches, activity trackers, ovens, refrigerators and elderly monitors.

“Multiple machines, devices and appliances are being connected to the Internet through numerous networks and are providing consumers and businesses with innovative new services. The Internet of Things may sound like a futuristic buzz term, but it is already here and improving our lives,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. “This report confirms that although the market is still relatively nascent, there is huge demand for these services in the connected home; however, seamless interaction of these devices and services is essential, making collaboration and interoperability between companies from different sectors more critical than ever.”

Smart Savings
The survey confirmed that the opportunity to save money was the most compelling benefit of purchasing connected devices for the home to both owners and non-owners. For example, 70 per cent of all respondents believed that this was the most important aspect of owning a connected energy system. The survey found strong consumer interest in the connected car, with respondents seeing the benefits of saving money on fuel through the use of real-time traffic updates, as well as insurance premiums via real-time usage monitoring. Eighty-six per cent of non-owners would consider purchasing a connected car for their next vehicle if it would save them 30 per cent on their monthly insurance costs. Time savings are also seen to be a significant benefit of driving a connected car, with owners saving upwards of six hours of travel time each month by avoiding congestion with real-time traffic updates. Peace of mind and protection against theft or hazards were also amongst the most important benefits of owning a smart security system according to owners, with nearly all confirming that their sense of security had increased since installing it.

Connected Health and Fitness
The survey also noted the growing influence of wearable fitness devices for improving fitness performance, with nearly 25 per cent of non-owners being likely to consider purchasing a connected fitness device if it would increase the number of calories they burn on a monthly basis by 10 per cent. Connected healthcare devices were also well received by consumers with 83 per cent of owners reporting that their sense of well-being had improved and that their use provided peace of mind and helped with lifestyle improvements. Additionally, the ability to remotely monitor a close family member with a chronic illness, for example, to make sure they have taken their daily medicine with a smart healthcare device also received an overwhelming positive response with 86 per cent of non-owners interested in this feature.

Connected Living at Mobile World Congress 2015
The GSMA Connected Living programme will be present at the GSMA Innovation City at Mobile World Congress 2015 at Hall 3, Stand 3A11 and 3A31 from Monday to Thursday with a number of interactive demonstrations of the latest mobile products and services. They will also be hosting a number of seminars and presentations through the week. For further information visit: http://www.gsma.com/connectedliving/events/mobile-world-congress-2015/

The GSMA Connected Living programme is an initiative to help operators add value and accelerate the delivery of new connected devices and services in the machine-to-machine (M2M) market. This is to be achieved by industry collaboration, appropriate regulation, optimising networks as well as developing key enablers to support the growth of M2M in the immediate future and the IoT in the longer term.

Notes to Editors
* The Impact of the Internet of Things: The Connected Home’ report was commissioned by the GSMA’s Connected Living Programme and GSMAi, the report draws on surveys of technology enthusiasts in Germany, Japan, the UK and the US conducted by the public opinion research consultancy, KRC Research. KRC surveyed 500 technology enthusiasts in each country. The survey: 1) defines families that are connected e.g. gives definition of what a connected family is. 2) measures these families desires for the future in terms of connected devices. 3) measures current level of adoption of connected devices by families in each country. Only respondents that had a strong interest in technology e.g. desire to purchase a connected device(s) in the next few years, or had a thorough understanding of the benefits connected technology/devices brings the family were selected

About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress, Mobile World Congress Shanghai and the Mobile 360 Series conferences.

For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

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